Noshing Around

Lemmon Aid

The independent restaurant community Tucson Originals comes together to donate a portion of its sales on Wednesday, Aug. 6 to benefit the Mount Lemmon Fire District. Money will also go toward buying seedlings to plant in fire-damaged areas. Check out www.tucsonoriginals.com for a list of participating restaurants. Eat out for a great cause.

These Grapes Were Made for Stomping

Do visions of that famous I Love Lucy episode run through your mind when you think about grape stomping? Then head to Sonoita for Augustfest at the Sonoita Vineyards on Aug. 2-3. Jump into a barrel of grapes and let your feet frolic while a raucous crowd cheers on. Or, rest easy on the tractor-driven vineyard tour while aspects of grape growing are explained. A mere $10 gets you a souvenir wine glass, fancy foot work, the vineyard and winery tour and live music. Food from local restaurants costs extra. Check out www.sonoitavineyards.com or call (520) 455-5893.

Pickled Pig

When does a nice seafood restaurant like Kingfisher serve pickled pig? When the restaurant's 10th annual summer "Road Trip" heads down south, bringing along pan-fried crawfish, chicken-fried top sirloin steak with red eye gravy, baked Gulf oysters and Florida game fish with baked plantains. These and other Southern favorites are on the menu through Aug. 13.

New Girl in Town

Barefoot Contessa, mentioned in this space two weeks ago, is now open. Located at 4145 W. Ina Road, it features all-you-can-eat healthy Italian food. 572-0222. Open from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m.; closed Mondays.

Wine Divine

When the summers sizzle, wine prices fizzle. Buy a bottle of wine on Monday at Bistro Zin or Tuesday at Wildflower, and the price tag gets cuts in half. At Café Terra Cotta, half-price bottles of wine are available every night after 8 p.m. Offers last through mid-September.